This is a bit of a rant and more of an observation from this morning. Some people we don't know a few streets over got a GSD puppy a year or three ago. We walk by occasionally on our walks. Puppy got bigger and started barking aggressively at the 4' chain link fence so we stay on the other side of the street. Today, we happened to walk by and the now dog is like 70% covered in what looks like mange with a lumpy and nearly bald rear end and droopy ears!!! I tried to shoot some disapproving eye daggers (at the lady who was shooing him back into the house when he barked at us) while looking over my shoulder at her but it probably went unnoticed. I was horrifed at the overall condition - the dog looked older and almost droopy in it's facial expression. I do not know for sure it it's the same dog but I haven't seen any other dogs there except a little fluffy one... It didn't look like he was getting treated tho obviously I can't tell by walking by. Didn't look in good shape to me.

She was "shooing him back into the house"?!?!?! I can only imagine the stench... I don't know how people can see their dogs everyday and ignore the condition they are in.

Can you contact your local animal control? I know it depends on your state but sometimes they can go over there and demand that the dog is seen by a vet. I would tell them you're really disturbed by the condition of the dog and worried that it isn't being treated by a vet.

I agree w/Suzanne... I would speak to the owner first though, just in case the dog IS being treated by a vet already. Mange can take a while to clear up.If he's not getting any medical attention I would definitely call AC - you may be his only voice, and hope.

Not sure how it is in your area, but here if someone calls the shelter about something like this, I'd send the ACO out on a welfare check. Usually we check to make sure the dog has rabies vax and city tags. If the dog is in really bad shape we give them 24-48 hours to get the dog to the vet. Then we require them to provide a vet's statement on the dog's condition. If they don't comply, we fine them for not giving proper vet care. But that is written in the city codes so we can do that. We also give them the option at the outset to just sign the dog over to the shelter. That way we can get the dog to the vet, treated, and adopted to someone who can take care of it.

On behalf of the shelter staff, if you do call about the dog, please please please have the address where the dog lives. We get a lot of "It's the third house on the right when you approach from the alley" or something like that. Then we get the wrong house and the dog doesn't get the attention in needs.

I'm torn about reporting this as I just read on another forum about a dog that is virtually red and hairless and they can't get to the bottom of it (apparently not mange) but they ARE actively trying to cure it... I was just so chocked to see this dog's condition from the fuzzy puppy I remembered seeing there. I'll try to get up the nerve to ask if/when I see them out again.... Or should I just make the call? I was moved when I saw the droopy face and ears of this guy...

HappyPuppy wrote:I'm torn about reporting this as I just read on another forum about a dog that is virtually red and hairless and they can't get to the bottom of it (apparently not mange) but they ARE actively trying to cure it... I was just so chocked to see this dog's condition from the fuzzy puppy I remembered seeing there. I'll try to get up the nerve to ask if/when I see them out again.... Or should I just make the call? I was moved when I saw the droopy face and ears of this guy...

If the owner can show animal control that they are treating the dog they will not get into trouble, and animal control will let you know the problem is being taken care of. I think it's better to say something, than nothing at all.

We had a client come into the clinic one time because animal control was threatening to take away their 14 year old westie who had horrible skin allergies. Granted the people weren't currently treating the dog, but they had tried several things over the course of the dog's life and nothing worked. They brought the dog in for an exam, our vet gave them some meds and a note saying that this is a condition that can only be managed, not cured, and that the animal was in good shape otherwise, and animal control left them alone. Also the dog had gotten loose which is the only reason AC even saw it, these people weren't advertising the dog by leaving it outside all day or anything.

I don't think you're being mean by calling animal control and not directly contacting the neighbor, it's AC's job to investigate situations like that and if the dog is truly being treated by a veterinarian then there won't be any issues. I guess my concern with contacting them is they can either lie to you and say "Yes we're treating it." Or they can admit to doing nothing and if you call AC they will know it was you that called.

I understand your indecision completely; to make things more difficult, we all know most of the time if you approach someone about something like this, they are likely to get defensive; but then you wonder if they might be the few people that would appreciate you checking

My example :On my walking route, I had seen an older looking dog on the road a few times. One day I saw the dog again and I saw a man working in his driveway. I stopped and asked the man if he knew who owned the dog. Eventually it came out that he owned the dog, his response "people don't usually drive down this road very fast". I tactfully mentioned that I had worked at an animal emergency hospital and had seen dogs hit by a car, so I was worried (and refrained from saying "it only takes once"), and he was still defensive. You'd think that someone might appreciate that I've also alerted my neighbor to his dog being out and running loose (when we saw her she was standing in the turning/exit lane next to a 4 lane street looking up at us in the window), to which I got a half-hearted thanks (as in, being polite )

If you think you're unlikely to run into these people, I'd say its worthwhile asking them whats going on

I can only please one person per day. Today is not your day, tomorrow doesn't look good either.
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"You didn't know of the magical powers of the break stick? It's up there with genies and Harry Potter as far as magic levels go." SisMorphine 01/07/07